Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-03


passage of the resolve to be engrossed. re.
suitlng in the negative, as follows:
fEA-Messrs. Burrill, Flint, Heath. Lord. Nic.s,.
Sorcross.-6 -0'N' '''Ae'''
NAY Messrs. Alien, Cole. Dagget, Dunnell. GIL.
oert,Goodnow. Gushee, HsrmSn. Hill EincsIsx
Jones, Kendall, Libbey. Lambert, Rich, Russell
simpson, Sleeper, Weymouth. Young-e0
wsns wanhskNT OR NOT VoriNG-Aessrs. Phair. Sargent,
Resolve concerning an amendment to the
constitution OF Maine so as to give women
the elective franchise came up by special as.
sgnment, the pending question being its
passage to be engrossed
Mr.. Heath of kennebec moved a yea and
nay vote, which was ordered
Mr.. Lumbert of Aroostook spoks of tba
great importance of the matter and dwelt at
some length upon the question of submitting
the matter to the people. He argued that
members should not vote to submit unless
they really believed in the matter to be sub.
mtted. He could conceive of great emery
encles when vote to submit would be
justified, when one would be justified in yot
Ing to submit though he did not believe in
the subject matter, thus subordinating his
views to the public good. But no such emer-
gency existed here. If submitted to the
people it would probably be placed in the
constitution, because only majority vote of
those voting is required, and experience has
taught us that those believing in such meas
ures as these are very active while there is
general apathy on the part of others, and so
there is a very small vote. SO members
should look the question squsrely in the face
and vote feeling that the action here was to
be decisive of il.
He declared himself opposed to womau's
suffrage, and contended that it was not de.
sired by the women. OF the hundred
thousand women in the State of the voting age
only about two thousand were here asking
Tor this privilege. On the other hand there
were many women protesting against it
True. some very able ladies advocated il;
but able and brilliant advocates would be
found to advocate almost any thing that was
agitated. He submitted whether there was
any suspicion in our homes before these agi-
tators made their appearance that any body was
being deprived of their rights. If our policy
IN this respect, which had been in existence
since civilization, was wrong, there would
have been some bubbling up and resistance to
1t in the back towns before the advent of
these agitators, and husbands would have
been nagged more or less about it. He ad-
mitted that some of our ladies' in lis
tenlng to the eloquent remarks OF
the able women suffragists, might think they
chance in life; but if this were so some of
the men were also having hard time to earn
a living for their families and it was only a
matter of endurance that saved their right to
the elective franchise, because he understood
that paupers had no right TO vote. In Bos-
ton the women had had the right to vote in
school matters since 1879, yet out of 5000
voters only S7S had availed themselves OF
this privilege in 1886. The average in all
those years was but a little over 900; showing
that the women do not desire to exercise such
a privilege. He did not believe the elective
franchise and the duties which would follow
were proper to confer upon women He be
! we'd her true sphere was in her home where
the civilization of the past had placed her, and
where she could do more and better work than
in politics.
Mr.. Cole of Cumberland advocated the re-
solve. There were few reasons to which
he wished to refer in connection with the
subject, and among them was one against
which our forefathers protested Ii was tax
alton without representation. Thousands of
dollars are owned by single women. In his
town $50 900, one-fourth of its valuation,
was owned and represented by them. They
have 10 ay taxes upon that money, yet they
have no voice in what shall be done with the
money thus raised by taxation. A lady who
prOcures musical instrument by hard work
| is obliged by the men to pay tax upon tina,
! instrument if it is worth more than Sl5. She
/ has no voice IN saying whether or not that tax
| shall be assessed and she paws it. She has
no voice in the disposition of that tax. She
| has no voice in selecting the legislature OF
anv officer in the State. In times past it had
been thought that woman had no business to
speak in public or obtain a liberal education.
But that time had gone by. She Is allowed
| to preach and to practice at the bar. She is
allowed to work for the improvement of so,
ciety. The prejudice against the advance OF
women in this respect had fallen back step by
step, and it would fall back precisely the
same in the matter of her right to vote. II
she had had the right to vote in the past, and
it was proposed to-day to take that right from
| her, the gentleman from Aroostook Mr.
Lumbertl would display his ability agains
such course. 1t was nothing but prejudice
that kept this right from woman. She haC
been at work in reforms. She can beg. pray
and mplore men to do better; but how much
can she do with her hands tied? She is help
less and can do nothing except by entreaiy
The temperance cause was moved along bu
slowly until she took il in hand, and then i
moved forward with an impetus that it never
received before. But in all this she ha
been nothing but the tail to the kite of re
form. She has filled well those positions il
which she has been placed, notwithstanding
the prejudice with which she has been met
He did not know whether the senator from
Aroostook (Mr. LumbertO was a marret
man or not, but he was pretty good LOOKING
gentleman, and if he was married, he stoo
as good a chance of obtain ing the votes 0
the ladies, when up for an Office, as an
man, if he was strictly honest and straight
forward and stood up for the good of tn
people; but if he did not take this cours
they would cut him every time. If he was
single man he was sure of all the votes O
those who knew him; so he had nothing t
fear from the ladies if they were allowed 1
vote. (Laughter.) He was glad the ques
ton was to be taken by yea and nay vote
for he wanted this last opportunity to pu
upon record, to go down to posterty, hi
vote in favor Of measure which he believe
to be in the interests of the people of tn
State and nation.
Mr.. Heath of KenDebec replied to Senate
Lumbert, and spoke in favor of the resolve
The effect OF an affirmative vote was to favo
giving the people an opportunity to vote ny
on the question He did BOT anticipate ths
the vote by the people would be small, bu
election vote, and instanced votes of the peo
pie upon questions concerning the right
suffrage in support of this position.
The question was then taken upon the pas
sage of the resolve to be engrossed, the vot
standing as follows:
/ YEA-Messrs. Burril, Cole, Daggett, DunDel